• Arun Sarin, former CEO of Vodafone Group, has returned to Cisco Systems' board. He previously was on the board from 1998 to 2003. Sarin, 54, was CEO of Vodafone from 2003 until July of 2008. Prior to that, he led companies that included InfoSpace and AirTouch International.
• Motorola's Home and Networks Mobility business has added two new devices to its WiMAX portfolio. The CPEi 725 is a desktop unit that provides fixed and nomadic access and also supports voice over IP (VoIP) capability. The USBw 200 adaptor (dongle) enables broadband on the go. Both feature two antennas and switched transmitter diversity that automatically transmit on the antenna that is receiving the stronger signal. The division also released an upgrade to its wireless access point WAP 450 series. The new WAP 650 features four transmit and four receive paths ("4X4") and is available in multiple frequency bands including 2.3GHz, 2.5GHz and 3.5GHz.
• Qualcomm and Global Wireless have signed a licensing agreement for CDMA femtocells. Under the terms of the royalty-bearing agreement, Qualcomm has granted Global Wireless a worldwide patent license to develop, manufacture and sell femtocells that implement a CDMA2000, WCDMA or TD-SCDMA 3G standard, including multi-mode femtocells that implement any one or more of these 3G standards as well as a 4G (OFDMA) standard.
• Juniper Research says that demand for improved 3G reception for residential mobile voice and broadband use will be the driving force for femtocell growth over the next few years. The research firm expects worldwide femtocell subscribers to exceed 15 million during 2012.
• Cloud-based wireless networking company Meraki has launched a "Cash for Wireless LAN Clunkers" trade-in program targeted at organizations with aging 802.11b/g networks that want to upgrade to a Meraki 802.11n wireless LAN. The promotion includes a $150 credit for each access point traded in for a Meraki network. To qualify for Cash for Wireless LAN Clunkers, customers must register with Meraki and make their purchase by Sept. 30.
• ERF Wireless has applied for $24.6 million in broadband stimulus funds for the expansion of last-mile wireless broadband projects. If the grant goes through, the funds will go toward broadband projects in rural and economically challenged regions in Texas with a total population of about 600,000.
• CommScope subsidiary Andrew has filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court in Delaware seeking a declaratory judgment that its new multiple range estimation location (MREL) system for locating mobile devices does not infringe an existing U.S. patent held by TruePosition.. The same patent was the subject of previous litigation between the two companies, including a judgment now under appeal by Andrew.
• Mobile roaming solutions provider Roamware has completed its acquisition of Macalla Software, a mobile finance company. The move comes as Roamware seeks to expand its presence with low income, unbanked communities across the world that tend to be heavy users of mobile banking services.